Welcome to the first edition of Quoted For Truth, soon to be the least discussed and least popular column about comic books on the internet. My name is Cody Machler, and I will be the narrator on this adventure full of discovery, philosophical ponderings, and downright ridiculousness.
While numerous topics will be touched upon, the primary area of discussion will be the comic book gamut; from the stories themselves, to the people creating them, to the paper on which they are printed, to fandom’s reaction to the books, to the latest trends and happenings in the industry. There will also be a fair amount of pop culture in general. Think of it this way, if it’s a topic covered at a big convention, then it will probably be discussed here.
Quoted For Truth will consist of full-length columns and short blogs. The columns will tend to be more analytical and less “flavor of the day” dependent, while the blogs will mostly be futile attempts to show that my opinions are relevant to current events by reacting to recent headlines and flame wars. For example, if this blog had been running a few weeks ago, you would have been able to watch me overreact to the overreaction of message board posters to the rumor about Batman becoming a New God.
With that said, I expect this blog to behave, to use one of today’s favorite buzzwords, rather organically. I’d like there to be a full length column each week, but I’m not going to commit to posting it on the same day. I find schedules to be much too limiting to the creative process. And yes, this is just a pre-emptive excuse for when I procrastinate and don’t post anything for a month.
By now, I’m sure you’re muttering to yourself, “oh great… yet another blogger living in his parents’ basement with too much time on his hands who thinks the whole world is interested in his opinion.” Well, let me assure you I most certainly do not live in my parents’ basement. I enjoy my buffer zone of several hundred miles. Nor do I have too much time on my hands. In fact, I’ll be amazed if I have the time to update this blog on any semblance of a regular basis.
As for the whole world being interested in my opinion? Well, just look at these stellar credentials: I’m a long time comic book reader; I’m fair, balanced, and analytical, and not in a Fox News kind of way; I own a comic book store; and I was a columnist for a pro-wrestling fansite back in the day. Who else has such a combination of qualifications going for him? Besides, who among us doesn’t want yet another entertaining blog to read instead of working or doing homework? But just to prove I’m not all talk, let’s explore a couple of these credentials in more detail.
As I said, I’m a long time comic book reader. I picked up my first book at the pinnacle of the true golden age of comics; the early 1990s. Yes, foil covers, embossed covers, die-cut covers, prism covers, and hologram covers were all the rage (I think the die-cut, embossed combo was my favorite). Superman had died and returned, Knightfall had just begun, Bruce Timm and Paul Dini were revolutionizing animation, and Image was unknowningly trailblazing the dot-com business model. Truly, it was an era of richness and prosperity.
With only two or three years out of the loop, I’ve been a faithful reader and collector of both Detective Comics and Batman. Other titles have come and gone, but those two have been the only constants. I started at the newsstand, moved to DC’s subscription service, then to a local comic book store, and finally to owning my own store (more on this silly endeavor in a later column). Incidentally, my current pull list will always be posted in the right-side bar of this page
In the late 1990s, my “career” as an internet columnist began when I started writing Flat to the Mat on a professional wrestling fansite. This was during the height of the Monday Night War between Raw and Nitro, when many fans were turning into “smarts,” learning about the off-camera world of professional wrestling. It was very similar to today as the internet gives fans more and more access to the business side of the comic book industry.
Unlike the common testosterone fueled rants found in other columns, I filled the lighthearted comedy niche. The was a lot of complaining about currently storylines, people jobbing, and WCW only pushing the old wrestlers. But Flat to the Mat was goofy and sarcastic, yet analytical, and that’s what I’m hoping Quoted For Truth will become.
Further, I just enjoy writing. Yet, I have no aspirations of writing comic books. In fact, I downright suck at writing fiction of any kind. I have so much respect and admiration for folks who can write entertaining fiction. Unfortunately, my mechanical engineering brain just isn’t wired that way. But give me an opinion-piece or term paper or technical paper, and I will run with it.
Finally, wrapping up this introductory column, here is a small disclaimer. Anything I write is my own opinion, and unless I specifically cite a source, my opinions are based on nothing but my ideas, experience, and the bunk I find on message boards. I’m not here to create or spread rumors. Nor am I here to report breaking news. I’m just here to entertain. Hence the reason I named this blog Quoted For Truth. Professional writers might call it an ironic name. I just call it sarcastic.
As always, you can email me at qft.column@gmail.com.
Cody Machler
Columns that are currently in work:
- My 2007 Awards show
- Heroes: More Overrated than the death of Captain
- DC vs Marvel: Today’s WCW vs WWF
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